“You are doing it. Keep going.” is what Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said in Salinas, California, on 7 January 2017. I was a member of the panel that asked questions after his keynote. From my notes, my opening question was:
“The Silicon Valley has a skewed population. In the high tech world where I work, there are about 25% female, 4% Latino, and 2% Black in the computing professions. In Elmwood Jail where I lead an Education for Ministry seminar each week, men and women are separate and there are 42% Latino and 29% Black. I feel like I live in two worlds. What can we do to reach out, to bring this divided community together?”
When Bishop Michael answered “You are doing it. Keep going.” I heard that the answer lay in outreach ministries like mine – and in telling people about that work. Individuals with a foot on both sides can connect a community.
It is a good but a little scary to have an experimental program succeed so well. I have been thinking a great deal about what Bishop Michael said – and about what to do next. The Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real, Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, CIC, and EfM have strongly backed our jail-based seminar during the last year. My first step was to talk with the CIC Chaplain for Elmwood, and then with the EfM program at the University of the South – School of Theology, about starting an additional class at Elmwood. They support expanding the program. Now to find more funding!
If you want to receive Katysblog posts by email, please sign up using the Sign Me Up! button (upper right).
Images Copyright 2016 by Katy Dickinson and Elrond Lawrence
KatysBlog 
Nice article Katy! I’m in awe of your commitment to change and equality!